Hugo f



H. F. SCHROEDEIL SEAMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION men SEPT. 3. me.

Patented Dec. 16,1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET1 ix/ In vEW far A frar/ve H. F. SCHROEDER.

SEAMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. a, 1918.

1,325,210. Patented Dec. 16,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

44 7 .34 /0 3 $F33 e f 3 9 l p 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUGO F. SCI-IROEDER, 0F TORBINGTGN, CG'NNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR T0 SCHROEDE B BROTHERS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF TOBRINGTUN, CONNECTICUT, A

COPARTNERSHIP.

SEAlVIING-IVIACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

may vary decidedly. The machine has been found quite satisfactory in the sheet metal art, and specifically for employment in the production of a radiatorand particularly the body thereof. In some radiators such as are found in automobiles, the body as it is known, is of sheet metal. By the machine the ends'of the body are brought together and seamed substantially together, and while the seaming action is occurring the trimming of the stock along its edge is taking place, so that the product presents a.

finished appearance. I provide a machine which is simple in construction, quite compact, efficient in action and by which the desired results can be obtained in a rapld manner.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification I show in detail one advantageous form of embodiment of the invention which I will set forth fully in the following description,so that those skilled in'the art can practlce the 1nvention. I do not-necessarily restrict myself to this particular showing; I may depart therefrom in several ways within the scope of the invention defined by the claims following said description.

Referring to said drawings: 'Figure '1 is a top plan,

: Fig. 2 a side elevationas seen from below in Fig. l, and V Fig. 3 a front view as seen for instance from the left in Figs. 1 and 2, of a seaming machine involving the invention the head and'parts carried thereby being omitted. V

Fig. 4 is an outside view of the seaming and trimming or cutting head.

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the same, and K Fig. 5 a view as seen from the right in Fig. 4:;

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec. 16, 1919.

Application filed September 3, 1918.

Serial No. 252,306.

Figs. 6 to 10 inclusive are cross sections on the lines 6 6 to 1010 respectively of Fig. 4, the arrows applied to the respective section indicating lines, denoting the points of view. H r

Like characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, Figs. 6 to 10 being on larger scales than the other views, and Figs. 4 to 5 inclusive being on larger scales than Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

The different parts of the machine may be sustained in any desirable way. The fram ing shown for this purpose includes a base or bed 2 and a block as 3 rising from'the base or bed, the two parts being usually in one piece. The base or bed-may haveat suitable places perforations or'holes as 4 to receive screws, bolts or equivalent means by which said base or bed can'be fastened to a. suitable foundation. There is suitable work or stock holding means and suitable means for seaming and cutting, and alseamer and cutter move, the seaming and cutting operations occuring during such movement. As a matter of fact in the pres ent case the cutting occurs first or' is con tinued during the seaming action, the .result being that when the articlehas received the necessary actions, it has'a' neat finish.

On one side of the base'or bed 2 and located in PTOXlIDltY'CO the block 3 which di rectly supports the seaming and cutting mechanism, is a bracket as 5 of elbow or L- form, the flange of the bracket being fastened as by screws 6 to the upper side of the base or bed. This bracket hasits froritface or edge in transverse line with the corresponding portionfof the block 3, the inner fiat face of the bracket being spaced from holder which directly supports the 'work during the seaming and cutting operations is sustained upon the innerside of. the

bracket 5, the body'thereof having the. way 9 in which the work holder is set in such though these may be related in various ways, 7 I prefer that the work be fixed and thatthe fashion that the outer faceofthework are initially spaced apart as shown in both Figs. 2 and 3 to receive between them the two portions of the stock or work 13. The leaves or portions of the stock or work are inserted in the spaces between the respective elements 10, 11 and 12, after which they are operated by the cam 14 to cause said elements to clamp the work in such way that the two parts thereof extend beyond the work holder enough to be acted upon by the cutting and seaming means. The cam 14 as shown is pivoted as at 15 on the bracket 5 and has a manipulating portion or handle 16 by which the elements 10, 11 and 12 can be operated to substantially clamp the work 13 with the ends of the work pro jecting inwardly or toward the right in Fig. 3 from the work holder 8. The projecting portions of the work as will be understood are those which are seamed or cut or trimmed by the appropriate moving means.

The seaming and cutting means includes a reciprocatory head as 17 hereinafter more particularly described. This head 17 (Figs. 4 to 10 inclusive and best in Figs. 4 to 5 as will be understood, is reciprocatory. As shown it is set in a notch 18 in the carrier 19 which is in the form of a slide. The carrier or slide 19 is provided with screws 20 engaging the upper and lower sides of the head 17 so as to rigidly hold the head of the carrier. As represented the carrier or slide 19 is of dove-tail form in cross section to fit a correspondingly shaped groove or channel 21 in the block 3, the groove or channel 0bvi ously being open at its ends to permit of the necessary stroke of the head 17. As shown there is rigidly connected with said head the rack bar 22 coextensive with the carrier or slide 19 to which the same is suitably rigidly connected as by screws 23. In mesh with the teeth of the rack bar is a pinion 24 fast on the shaft 25 supported about the center of the'block 3 in suitable bearings carried thereby. The pinion is united with the inner end of the shaft. The latter at its outer end has rigidly connected therewith the hand wheel 26, through the primary agency of which, together with the associated described parts the head 17 may be given the necessary movement which in the present case is a reciprocation. I have described a way of operating this head 17 or its equivalent. The action in the present case is a manual one. It is clear, of course, that it can be accomplished by power, and it is equally apparent that the head, as I have considered it, need not be given a. reciprocation, although this particular motion is a desirable one.

The head 17 comprises a body portion as 27 having on its outer side the rabbet 28 which extends from the front of the body portion almost to the back thereof. The rabbet in turn has at its forward end a rabbet 29. In this rabbet 29 is closely fitted the projection or tongue 30 of the member 31 held to the body in some suitable way as by the screw 32, the head of which like other screws is countersunk in the back of the body portion 27. The front face of this seaming member 31, it functioning in this particular, is flush with the front end of the body portion 27. The auxiliary rabbet 29 obviously is at one front corner of the main rabbet 28. At the opposite corner of said main rabbet 28 is a seaming member 33 held in the rabbet as by the screw 34. The seaming member 33 is longer than the seaming member 31. In line longitudinally of the head 17 with the seaming member 31 is a seaming member 35 which abuts against the seaming member 31 at its front end and is held in place to the body portion 27 by the screw 36. The seaming member 33 on the opposite side of the head overlies the seaming member 35 for practically half its length. The seaming member 35 is abuttcd by the seaming member 37 held in place by the screw 38, and the latter in turn is abutted by the seaming member or block 39 held in place by the screws 40, the seaming member 39 abutting against the shoulder or stop presented by the rear wall of the main rabbet 28. The length of the seaming member or block 39 is equal as shown to the width of the body portion 27. The seaming members or blocks 31, 35 and 37 are on one side of the head 17 longitudinally thereof. On the other side of the head is the seaming member 33 and others now to be described. The seaming member 33 is abutted by the seaming member 41 held in place by the screw 42 and abutted in turn by the seaming member 43, held in place by the screw Fastened to the front end of the body portion 27 is the angular member 47, screws as 48 passing,

through the body or base of this angular member, which body or base fits flatwise against the body portion 27 and similarly against the seaming members 31 and 33. The web of this angular member has an open slot 49, the side walls of which diverge outwardly, the slot extending back to the front end of the body portion 27. The seaming and cutting head 17 has on the inner surface thereof the channel or groove 50 which extends centrally of the several seaming members and also of the back end of the inner side of the body portion 27 with which it will be remembered several seaming members are removably connected. This channel has its longitudinal axis coincident with that of the open-ended slot 49, the channel, however, being as shown a little wider than the slot. The width of the channel in fact defines the width practically of the seamed portion of the stock, said seamed portion relatively traversing said slot during the seaming and cutting operations.

Practically the initial operation which ensues is the cutting ope ration, and to secure this particular function a cutter or lmife as 51 may be utilized. This cutter or knife is virtually triangular and is fastened as by the screw 52 to the under side of the overhanging portion of the angular member 47,

' the cutting edge of the said cutter or knife 51 extending obliquely across the slot a9, so that as the stock traverses said.slot',-it will be cut or trimmed. Said cutter or knife it will be understood, .fits flatwise against the inner surfaceof the overhanging portion of the angular member 47, the back or inner edgeofthe knife or cutter fitting solidly against the body of the angular member as clearly shown in both Figs. i and 5. i Y

At the front upper side of the body portion 27 is a bead 53 which in the present case is integral with said body portion. This bead extends into the slot 4:9 for practically half of its length, the rear part there of being of course, rigid with the said body portion'27. The front part of. this bead or spacing member is separated from the walls of the slot a9 a distance agreeing practically with the width of the stock being operated upon. It will be understood that the stock relatively passes through the spaces between the bead or spacing. member and the walls of the slot. The lower surface of this bead or rather the projecting'portion thereof is in the plane of the bottom surface of the overhanging portion of the angular member l7. The front end of the bead or spacing member 53 is somewhat'pointed or acute to properly enter the two sides or lateral portions of the stock to be seamed. and cut. T his pointed forward portion is Ofcourse, a short distance in advance of the cutting edge of the knife or cutter 51.

As already indicated the stock or work is clamped in the work holder 8 with. the edge portions of the two sides or lateral parts of the work projecting-"inwardly from the work holder which is obviously toward the right in Fig. 1. Ont-he advance. of the seaming and cutting head 17 in the manner set forth, the two sides'of the work will enter the slot as and as said head 17 continues its advance, (toward the left in Figs. 1 and 2), the sides of the work will pass along said slot and through the passages at opposite sides of the head 53. Fig. 6 shows the sides of the work just after the slot 49 has been entered, and when said sides are in straddling relation with the forward projecting end of the bead 53, the relatively fixed cutter or knife '51 will trim oil" the outer ends of said two sides. The cutting operation as will be inferred is a continuous one. After the initial action of the cutter on the work, the latter is laterally bent as will later appear and certain other operations occur in proper sequence so as to secure not only a close seam but one that is actually water-tightand quite finished.

.As the head continues to advanceand after the sides of he work have been subject ed to the trimming inthe manner indicated, one side of the work will enter the channel or' space 54: between the rear end portionof the bead 53 and the adjacent seaming member or block 31, and the other side ofthe work will enter the space between thesaid bead and seaming member or block 33 so'as to give each of the sides an L-bend or angue lar flange as 55 and 56 respectively as shown in. Fig. 7 It will be seen upon an inspec tionof said Fig. 7 for instance, .thatthe vertically disposed body of the flange 55 is narrower than the corresponding part of the .complemental L-flange, while the i horizontal. portion of the flange 55 is wider thanv the horizontal portion of thei'iange 56, these flanges being shaped up obviously'through thesaction of the cainming surfaces ofthe seaming members 31 and 33. The rear por tion of the block 33 has a cam surface 57 which bends the longer portion of the/flange 55 vertically upon the outer edge of the horizontal portion of the flange 56 as shown in Fig. 8. Continuing, the freeportion: of the flange 55 is bent .around the flange 56 as shown inFig. 9. .On the final movement of the part 17 the two" lockedtogether.portions are pressed against the vertical bodies of the flanges as shown in Fig; 10.

There are two rows of blocks as will be understood. One of these. rows comprises the blocks 31, 35 and 37 while the other row comprises the blocks 33, 4:1 and 43.: The endportionsof. certain of the blocks of the rows are transverselyout of line with each. other. For instance, the rearend portion-of the'block 4118 out of line with therear end portion of the block 35 and: out of line also with the front end portion of the block 37; The front end portion of thej block 43 .Y is out :of transverse line withthe front end portion of the block 37. 1 i 5 1 l Jhat I-claim is:

machine ofthe 'class-described 001D; prising a supporting member,a plurality of blocks mounted thereon in rows with the cooperating faces of the blocks spaced apart, a block coextensive with the end blocks of each row at one end of the supporting member, some of the opposed blocks in different rows being of relatively'difi'erent lengths, means for supporting pieces of stock and'for entering the edge portions of the stock into the space between the two rows of blocks,

and means for causing a relative motion between the two rows of blocks and the stocksupporting means to thus cause said edge portions to'traverse the space between the blocks, the blocks being furnished with means to seam together said edge portions and subsequently flatten down the seamed portion of the stock on relative motion of the blocks and the stock-supporting means.

2. A machine of the class described comprising a supporting member, a block extending transversely thereof and having a groove at one edge, a series of blocks arranged at opposite sides of the supporting member with adjacent cooperating work engaging faces spaced apart and alined with the groove in the aforesaid block, means for supporting pieces of stock and for entering the edge portions of the stock into the space between the rows of blocks, means for causing relative motion between the two rows of blocks and the stock-supporting means to thus cause said edge portions to traverse the space between the blocks, the blocks being furnished with means to seam together said edge portions and subsequently flatten down the seamed portion of the stock on relative motion of the blocks and the stocksupporting means, and means for trimming off a part of the stock before the pieces thereof enter the space between the rows of blocks.

3. A machine of the class described comprising a supporting member, a block extending transversely thereof and having a groove at one edge, a series of blocks arranged at opposite sides of the supporting member with adj acenti cooperating work engaging faces spaced apart and alined with the groove in the aforesaid block, the blocks being relatively immovable, means for supporting pieces of stock and for entering the edge portions of the stock into the space he 4. A machine of the class described comprising a supporting member, a block extending transversely thereof adjacent one end, a row of juxtaposed blocks i-mmovably mounted at each edge contacting the trans? verse block, the work engaging faces of the rows of blocks being spaced apart, means for supporting pieces of stock and for entering the edge portions of the stock into the space between the rows of blocks, a single block at the rear end of the two series and extending across the space between said series, and means for causing a relative motion between the blocks and the stock-supporting means to thus cause said edge portions to traverse the space between the blocks and the blocks being furnished with means to scam together said edge portions and the single block being equipped with means to flatten down the seamed portion of the stock on relative motion between the blocks and the stoclosupporting means.

5. A machine of the class described comprising a supporting member, a series of blocks of different cross sectional areas arranged in juxtaposition adjacent each edge of the supporting member and being relatively immovable, elements between which portions of the stock are supported and clamped, while the edge portions of the stock are entered into the space between the two rows of blocks, and means for causing a relative motion between the two rows of blocks and said elements to cause the edge portions of the pieces of stock to traverse the space between the blocks, the'blocks being furnished with means to seam together said edge portions and subsequently flatten down the seamed portion of the stock on relative motion of the blocks and the stock supporting means.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HUGO r. SCHROEDER.

Witnesses:

HELLENE Soi-IELLENBERGER, ARTHUR E. R. SCHROEDER. 

